Gauge controlled grinding wheel feed mechanism



M. BoNTEMPs 2,603,043

GAUGE CONTROLLED GRINDING WHEEL FEED MECHANISM 2 Sl-IEETS-Sl-IEE'I 1 July 15, 1952 Filed May 5, 1948 INVENTOR:

Marcel Bontemps His Agent l By:

July 15 1952 M. BoNTEMPs GAUGE CONTROLLED GRINDING WHEEL FEED MECHANISM 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Filed May 5, 1948 N .QQ

INVENTOR Marcel Bontemps '7 @gwn/MKM MM His Agent Patented July 15, 17952 UNITED STATE canoanoNrRoLLEnGRINDNe i/'viii-iiiEl@AY FEED MEHANISMT Marcelontemps,'.Villeurbannc, .FranceLassign to Societe a Responsabilita Llinxitee,editerEtafA Vblissernents; 'Gendron Frereg Villeurbanne, 1

France ApplicationMayS, 1948, Serial No, :257; 2865 1 Eni France J uiyV 1-85, 1947 sciame, (01.51.7465;

The present invention relates` to. a. grinding apparatus which 'automatically permitsytheworkpieces to be Yground to the required dimensions whenever the machining has caused a continuousvariation of the dimensions, especially when cylindrical pieces are ground by positive action grinding machines. Thsoperation isV generallyv carried out on semi automatic. machines,y the.. stopping for the removal oimetal beingfether leftlto the workers own initiative. the. latter observing byY means of` a calipering device, the decrease in diameter oi the piece. The stopping mayalso be achieved loyv a fixed'stop which prevents the grinder carriage from moving. f

On the contrary, in the machine iittedfwith the device according to the invention, theinter-f. vention of the worker-is re'duced't'o the actuation oflthe leverv controlling the starting of the auto@y matic approaching movement of the` `grinder' carriage. This action causesthe following. cycle:

Fast approach of the'grnderlcarriage, followed by theplacement of the measuring ieel'erfinto working position.

Slow approach oi' the grinder carriage fand removalv of metal.

Stopping' the slow approachwhen the desired dimension isattained;

lStationary position oi the grinderl carriage during an adjustable periodvoi'ftime, corresponde. ing to surfacing time. Y

Swift backwardA movement ofthe grinder ear--` riage Withdrawal oithe measuring feeler.

`Inorderto carry this out, the devicesacoordingto the invention ycomprises essentiallyirso .as to caliper accurately the diameter'oithework piece, a V-shaped feeler, the. measuring contacto-i which, by its appropriate amplified movements', controls an electrical circ-uitin a manner such that the latter will be closed when thediam'eter of the piece reachesI the required dimensions. This circuit comprises 'thecoil' of a double switch which stops the advancing movement of thegrinde'r carriage through the medium of' appro-, priate devices. During the time whenthefgrinder carriageis idle, metal is still being1removed,.but`at a'veryfreduced speed. The-diameter of thepiece. continues therefore to decrease. When there quired dimension isv reached, the vcorresponding movement ofthe 'feeler contact provokes the operation of a. single-switch which switches onan electromagnet designedntoi cause. the; retrao. tion v'oi' fthe grinder carriage androf" theffeeler.

the disclosure. of, United: SigaisasI Letters. Patent'. "to,

. Moreoventhe feeler.I is placedlon al support.. t

the positionwofwhich- 1S related-. to' that Ofthe benotedfthatbody 4,0;is carriedwithinathreaded p posed between thegpiston; 4 4 and' ai sho grinder carriage.. so that the feder-ie in.- contest with the. 4piece when thef--srnder -earriaseiis Y, working position and is withdrawn,ivi/henfthe;l grinder ycarriage is .in the idleposition.1 Y

. The appended drawings. illustrate, asL aerien-p.` limitative example, theembodirr-1ent of tlieyinf. vention for anjautomatically controlled grinding; machine, equipped'fornes1tiveoperation- Fig.g1 shows"a v iewoi thel adjustableI V-kshaped feeler tted with -ajpneumatic ampliiier.- h

v `Fiasllews v e; diagram. offthe; eelfilnleiev metal: lation on the machine-tool,` i* Y 1 l In the example; shown,v site. 1; e. feeler eef semblv ie illustrated and; includes a `V--ehaped;

.feeierfname Ifrrevidiedywith-two Contact Slidesy 2.Y mede .ei hard ',metal, whirl-,1 YSlide- ;i-1f de vetalY sectioned nearest-and Whiehiinelude betw them an; angle Snert; .thai-211er select-insapprenne ateiyrthe p ositiorrfofffthese slides.v a; veryismall. variation; ,fr-1 the pesi-tiermf tileone,11ati1isfu 4 permitethe adjustment 0iihefee1emnpere.ne; ferfuse with, werkpieeee hevinszany des' ed d' eter; The movements of thisfvoperatingrod 14; by means of anv-relieblefenersymedium `(10116111 matic for :the li-lreiY andy with the interpositionamplifiers eontrolftheeperaten 0iA the maghi@ In the; illust.retedfi embodiment. movements. Qff: theV rodvtarejemployedto control thepressurefin e Iine 0r conduit 5 Supplied Withepressureffluid; treme. .Suitable Seur-ee (netshewml. The fester assembly, for: this. Pamesa-maybe constructed; end operated,Substantially eeeerdanee; with MY-f Menneesen. Peientflliliiald preferably iineludes a hellen' bedr Wei. feleeete'd cenflsulatien. dispesedsoi-tilat; its; lessi-tu ariebiseeisfthe angle. bvetweerifthe-lees. 0.1.

i- The Operating rod-.411e liermeeiwih afpisteri it on an end thereo whic a ehember otbody; Vl0-'y `A spring'- eff to a position retracted within body 40 also urges the piston 44 against the open end 43 of the bore in member 42 which is connected to conduit 5. However, the pressurized fluid in` co'nduit 5 and bore of member 42 tends to ,displace piston 44 away from open end 43, against the action of spring 45, so that the pressurized uid may escape to atmosphere through the grooves 46and annular space 41. In the absence of any restraint being imposed upon movement of piston 44, other than the force of spring 45, piston 44 will act as a pressure relief valve to determine or regulate the pressure in conduit V5. However, when the work 36 being ground contacts the rod 4, the latter is urged in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 so that piston 44 operates to reduce the effective size of opening 43 for increasing the pressure in conduit 5 in accordance with the progressive displacement of rod 4 responsive to reduction in diameter of the work 38.

In the diagram of Fig. 2, the conduit 5 is shown extending to a pressure amplifier 6 which is 0f conventional construction serving to amplify the pressure variations produced in the conduit 5 by movements of the operating rod 4 and through conduits 1, 8, is connected to pressure responsive switches 9, I to subject the latter to the amplifled pressure variations. The pressure amplifler, by way of example, may include a differential piston (not shown) that is, a piston having different areas on its opposite faces, with the pressure in conduit Vbeing imposed against the face of larger area and the face of smaller area acting against a fluid in a closed circuit including the conduits 1 and 6. Further, the'r switches 9 and I0 are conventional pressureresponsive switches and. as illustrated. may each include a'exible walled chamber, forexample, a container having a exible membrane forming a wall thereof, having a movable bridging contact mounted thereon and a pair of fixed contacts which are bridged by-the movable contact when the flexible walled chamber is distended sufficiently' by a predetermined pressure therein. In the present embodiment, the flexibility vof the iexiblewalled chambers or the normal spacing between the fixed and movable contacts of the switches 9 and I0-arejdiierent so that as the pressure in- `conduit-`A 5 progressively increases, bringing about -corresponding changes `vin the Vpressure in conduits 1 andY 8, the switch 9 will first close and, at a furtherv elevated pressure, the switch IIIiwill close. AThese switches'S, I0 control two electrical circuits II, I2 which, starting from a common power supplyV I3' are respectively adapted -to effect the operation oftwo electromagnetic switches, one ofi which I is'V a double poled (switch I3) and the otherasingle poled (switch I4). Switch I3 includes two-sets of contacts I1 and I8 and exerts control over two circuits. The first of these circuits, having the contacts I 1 interposed therein, is the circuit I2 controlled by pressure responsive switch I0 and extending through a manually operable switch I6 to the coil of electro-magnetically operated switch I4so that the circuit I2 can only be closed for energizingthe co'illo'f switch I4 when switch I3 is simultaneously closed by energization of its coil. The second circuit controlled by contacts I8 of the electro-magnetically operated switch I3 starts at a power supply I9 and proceeds through contacts I8 before splitting into two branches at a fixed contact I5 of a double pole switch having manually movable contacts I1 and I8'. The contact I1 controls the energization of a signal lamp 25, while the contact I8 is Vinterposed in the circuit branch leading to a solenoid 23. The electrical circuits are completed by a circuit extending from the power supply I9, through contacts 20 of the electromagnetically operated switch I4, to a second solenoid 2l.

In accordance with the present invention, the above described electrical circuits are provided in association with the following hydraulic sysv tem for controlling operation of the grinder or machine tool.

The starting lever 22 acts on the valve device 26, the cylinder of which comprises an inlet conduit 21 and an outlet conduit 28 for oil under pressure. The coupled pistons of this valve device 26 control the conduits '29, 30. The conduit 29 is connected on one hand to the chamber 3| of the cylinder 32, the piston of which is connected to the grinder carriage 33 which is movable toward and away from the work 36,y and on the other hand to the cylinder 34 the piston of which, working against a spring 35, when subjected to the oil under pressure causesv the feeler I to be retracted with respect to the workpiece 36 which is to be trimmed.

The conduit 3U is connected with the fluid flow controlling cylinder 24 which controls the oil feed to the chamber 31 of the cylinder 32, so as to cause the positive movement' of the grinder carriage 33.

The installation operates as follows:

When the switch I5 is in the position shown by the solid lines, the machine is in its operating position, the signal lamp 25 is connected directly to the mainpower supply circuit I9 and is permanently illuminated.

In the operating position, the oil feeding distributor 26 permits oil under pressure to reach the rear chamber 31 of the cylinder 32, while the forward chamber 3I is connected to the exhaust. The grinder therefore moves towards the work piece 36. On the other hand, as it can be seen on the drawing, the cylinder 34, controlling the backward movement of the feeler I, is also'connected to the exhaust. The-feeler l under the action of the spring 35 presses on to the work piece 36.

When the grinder is in operation, the workpiece 36 undergoes a vprogressive decrease in diameter and theoperating'rod 4 is displaced by the workpiece into body 40 causing thereby the airpressure in the conduit 5 and hence in conduits 1 and 8 to progressively increase. For a given value of this pressure, the manometrical switch 9 is closed, thus completing the power supply circuit of the coil of switch I3.

Energization of the coil of switch I3 closes the contacts I8 and I1 thereof to complete the circuit to solenoidv 23 which operates slidev valve 24, and to condition the power supply circuit of the coil of the switch I4 so that the circuit to the coil of' switch I4 may be subsequently completed by closing of the pressureresponsive switch I0.

Y The pressure at which pressure responsive switch $54 grinding or' nfia'chiningv phase of the operation. The valve 24, when actuatedc loses off the com pressed'. oilfeed to the rear chamber 3,1. 'r of'v the cylinder 32, stoppingl therebyV the advancing movementof the .grinding carriage 33. ,Fora given :period of time, the v,grinder is thenkept in ,contactf against the workpiece 36 and-.itszqcarriage stationary. The piece 3 3 coni-,innesto decrease-pin diamet erat;a. -`educed speed and increase. For a given value of this further increased pressure, the manometrical switch I is actuated, closing thereby the power supply circuit of the coil of switch I4 so that the power supply circuit for solenoid 2| is completed. Solenoid or electro-magnet 2l is connected to the lever 22, and when energized returns the distributor 26 to its withdrawn position. The forward chamber 3l of the cylinder 32 is then hydraulically connected with the pressure oil piping, while line 30 extending to the rear chamber 32 is connected to the exhaust, but the valve 24 blocks line 35 and prevents any movement of the piston in cylinder 32. But, at th-e same time, the cylinder 35 is put under pressure, causing the feeler l to be retracted. The workpiece ceases to be in contact with the feeler thereby resulting in a drop in pneumatic pressure in conduit 5. Thereupon manometrical switch 9 opens the contact which it had previously closed; the switch I3 returns to its open position and the valve 24, under the action of its compressed spring,'returns to the open position. With the valve '24 open, nothing now prevents the grinder carriage 33 from moving, and the latter draws back, away from the workpiece 36. Similarly, the manometrical switch I opens the circuit of the switch I4 which opens in turn the power supply circuit of the electromagnet 2l. The machine is thus ready to accomplish a complete new cycle, which cycle is initiated by manuallyreturning lever 22 to its position illustrated in Fig. 2.

When, on the other hand, the switch I8' is in the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2,'the solenoid 23 is continuously energized and valve 24 is always closed. Therefore, if the lever 22, before the switch I8 was actuated, were in the position corresponding to the retracted movement of the grinder carriage 33, it will be possible to manoeuvre this lever 22 without causing the grinder to advance. Y,

With the Valve 24 locking the grinder carrlage in its withdrawn or retracted position, the lever '22 may be manipulated to advance the feeler apparatus into contact with a standard workpiece having the desired dimensions for which the machine is to be adjusted. With the switch I1' in its dotted line position, the lamp 25 is illuminated only when switch i3 is closed. Thus, initial setting of the machine can be achieved by adjusting the sleeve 48 of the feeler apparatus until the operating rod 4 contacts the test or standard workpiece and is urged by the latter to a position establishing a pressure in conduit 1 sufficient to close pressure responsive switch 9, such closure of switch 9 being indicated by illumination of lamp 25. The machine will then be set up to grind or otherwise machine a workpiece to the dimensions of the standard or test workpiece in accordance with the operating steps previously described herein.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a grinding machine including a grinding wheel carriage mounted for movement toward and away from a workpiece,

'6 anda-means;fczceffectingnrovement-oV-saicticarg riageltoward fand away'lfromthe;iworkpiecei; ape paratusforfeelingfthe.diameterlofthe.workpiece to controli'ffzthe -fm'ovementiof' :saidfcarriageewith respect to fthe.; workpiece` comprisingnuponduit. meansillfor containing .a .pressure I fiuid;V gauge means mounted r for movementy between :active andfreigr'acted` positions, -means for:effectingInove-.l ment-I, of 1 said.L gaugeymeans..between-1 said 'facti've and?retractedkpositioris` said gauge means being connected to said conduit means, and operative, when in said"retractedpositionfto establishV a datum pressure'sin; said conduit means'l .-andfwhen in said active position, to varyxtheL pressurefirgiV said conduit means from said datum pressure in accordance with decreasing diameter of the workpiece, rst and second pressure responsive switches connected to said conduit means and constructed to be both open in response to said datum pressure and to be closed in response to different respective pressures varying from said datum pressure, a lirst electro-magnetic relay having double contacts, means controlled by said rst pressure responsive switch for energizing said first relay to close said double contacts ofk the latter when said first pressure responsive switch is closed, a second electro-magnetic reY lay, means controlled by said second pressure responsive switch and by one of said double contacts of said first relay for energizing said second relay to close the contacts thereof when said second pressure responsive switch is closed and said rst reiay is simultaneously energized, stopping means connected to said carriage moving means and controlled by the other of said double contacts to stop the m-ovement of said carriage in response to energization of said first relay, and means connected to saidcarriage moving means and to said gauge moving means and controlled by said second'relay to conditiony said .carriage moving means for movement of the carriage away from the workpiece and to condition said gauge moving means for movement of said gauge means to said retracted position in response to energization of said second relay so that said gauge means then establishes the datum pressure in said conduit means to open said first and second pressure responsive switches and deenergize said first and second relays for rendering said stopping means inoperative.

2. The combination according to claim 1; wherein said means for moving the gauge includes a rst hydraulic motor spring urged to move said gauge means to said active position and said means for moving the carriage includes a second hydraulic motor; and wherein said'means controlled by the second relay includes means for supplying pressure fluid to said iirst and second hydraulic motors'and a first electromagnetically controlled valve means operative in a first position to direct pressure fluid to one end of said second hydraulic motor for producing movement of said carriage toward the workpiece and to permit exhaust of pressure fluid from the other end of said second hydraulic motor and from said first hydraulic motor and, in a second position to direct pressure fluid to said rst motor and to said other end of said secondmotor and to permit exhaust of pressure iiuid from said one end of the latter, said rst electro-magnetically controlled valve means is connected to said second relay to be disposed in said second position when the latter is energized.

3. The combination according to claim. 2;

wherein said stopping means includes a. second electro-magnetically controlled valve means intex-posed between said rst valve means and said one end of said second motor, said second valve means being spring urged to a. position permitting free ow. between said one end of the second motor and said rst valve means and operative to block flow therebetween in response to closing of said second contacts of the first relay; l MARCEL BONTEMPS.

lREFERENCES CITED l Number 8 UNITED STATES lPATENTS l Name Date Baisiger May 14, 1935 Crompton Dec. 14, 1937 Johnson 'Dec. 14, 193'? Baisiger et al. May 21, 1940 Astrowski Dec. 23, 1941 Johnson Mar. 27, 1945 Mennesson Oct. 1, 1946 Mennesson Apr. 18, 1950 

